The present invention relates to a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus for recording or reproducing data on a magnetic tape and more particularly to the apparatus that is arranged to save an electric power consumed in detecting a tape end and reduce a load on a microprocessor provided in the apparatus.
No light is allowed to pass through a tape on which magnetic substance is coated or evaporated. Hence, the magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus according to the prior art has arranged to use a magnetic tape having a light-transmittable, transparent area (called a leader tape) on the end of the tape. That is, the apparatus provides a light emitting circuit and a light receiving circuit. In operation, the light emitted by light emitting circuit passes through the light-transmittable area and is sensed by the light receiving circuit for detecting the ends of the tape.
As this kind of apparatus, a VTR is described in "Introduction to Home VTR", edited by Corona Publishing Co., Ltd., 1981, pp. 123 to 133.